STEP aside sourdough and say ciao to ciabatta.
The biggest thing in bread right now is the bagel, which is even outselling the beloved plain roll.
9
Whether you like yours toasted with butter or filled like a sandwich, here Laura Stott tries a selection of five-pack store offerings, giving ratings out of five.
NEW YORK BAKERY CO WHOLEMEAL, £1.90, Asda
★★★★☆
BIG, fluffy and enticing, these supersized bagels might be a little pricier, but they are so large you won’t feel short-changed.
This wholemeal treat is far thicker than lots of other offerings, making it more filling and easier to slice and toast.
9
With a perfect ‘O’ in the centre and appetising golden crust, the soft dough was delicious.
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Lovely toasted then topped with hummus.
WARBURTON’S SESAME £1.50, Sainsbury’s/Tesco
★★☆☆☆
THESE convenient sesame-sprinkled bagels come pre-sliced, so just twist and pull apart for two perfectly shaped halves with no tearing.
Great if you are in a hurry, want to eliminate crumbs or just toast from frozen.
9
Top marks for making life easier and having a good, dense, chewy dough.
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But the taste was underwhelming – more like a basic burger bun than a bagel. Pricey, too.
TESCO ORIGINAL 80p, Tesco
★★★★★
I DIDN’T have high hopes for these “authentic” boiled and stone-baked bagels after seeing them in the packet.
But once I tried one, I quickly changed my mind.
9
Good enough to eat alone or toasted, with perfect, tight, chewy dough.
Delicious with popular fillings such as salt beef or cream cheese and salmon, I even went back for seconds.
A real triumph – and also great value.
MULTIGRAIN £2.50, M&S
★★★☆☆
A REALLY tasty snack from M&S, made with posh sourdough for a slightly sharper, yeasty flavour.
Topped with multigrains, including linseed and rye, for added texture and chew, plus improved nutrition and gut health.
9
However they didn’t slice into equal parts, making them tricky to toast evenly.
Still scrumptious and would be lovely with a fried egg. Pity they cost so much.
ROWAN HILL BAKERY PLAIN 79p, Lidl
★★★★☆
THESE value bagels certainly looked the part, with a lovely golden outer, firm chewy dough on the inside and a perfect shape.
Simple to slice evenly, which made them ideal for toasting.
9
And while the flavour was more like a standard bread roll, its texture was good enough to make it a believable bagel.
Great for the price and ideal for family snacks or as a freezer standby.
VILLAGE BAKERY ORIGINAL 79p, Aldi
★★★☆☆
DESPITE claiming to be a New York-style bagel on the label, I found these wheat circles tasted more like sweet brioche rolls than a traditional savoury boiled bun.
The dough inside was a bit dense and the sugary taste was pleasant enough.
9
It certainly provides a sturdy snack when toasted and smothered with a yummy topping. Good value.
SAINSBURY’S PLAIN 79p, Sainsbury’s
★★★★☆
EXCELLENT value from Sainsbury’s, these plain rings price-match Aldi and Lidl – and you get a decent bagel for not much buck.
Slightly mismatched in appearance as they varied in size noticeably, and a strange griddled texture on the base did make them look a little alarming.
9
But nice and squidgy with a chewy centre and not too dry. Perfectly decent and a great price.
★★★☆☆
THESE plain offerings had a good, authentic hooped shape and I liked that the individual bagels weren’t uniform in size, making them appear more artisan.
Some of the dough had cracked, but there was a nice brown exterior with a traditional, tight, chewy texture when sliced.
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9
Very tasty though rather sweet.
Best toasted and smothered with a savoury filling for balance.
